Clutch means



' Oct. 24, 1933. 5 B HAsELTlNE 1,931,655

CLUTCH MEANS Filed Aug. 1, 1930 l l l v I lm i Patented ct. 24,v 1933 i Parser essaies n H 1,931,655 CLUTCH MEANS Stacy B. Haseltine, Chicago, lill., assignor to W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Deia- Application August 1, 1930.V SerialNo. 472,218

2 Claims. (Cl. 192-67) This invention relates to improvements in clutch means especially adapted for hand brakes.

One object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient clutch means, which may be employedV in hand brake mechanisms of the worm gear operated type, so designed as to readily release without binding to facilitate quick release and free running of the chain-winding drum of the hand brake mechanism while the operating hand wheel of said mechanism is maintained stationary, thereby protecting the brakeman against injury.

@ther objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following. Y

In the drawing, forming a part of this speciication, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved clutch means as applied to a hand brake mechanism, And Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 2 2 of Figure 1.`

In said drawing, the hand brake mechanism is shown as mountedon the vertical end wall 10 of a railway car and is enclosed within a housing 11 secured to said end wall. As most clearly shown in Figure 1, the housing' is composed of two parts 12 and 13, which are riveted together, the section 12 having an upstanding wall portion 14 at the top thereof, which is secured to an upstanding web 15 on the section 13,r and an inner wall portion 16 at the bottoml thereof se* cured to the left end wall 17 ofthe .housing` section 13. The housing sections 12 and 13 are provided with vertical flange portions 18-18 rojecting upwardly therefrom and forming continuations of the 'back walls of the sections, these flanges serving vas the means for securing the upperpart of the housing to the end wall. The housing section 13 has the lower `portion of the back wall thereof riveted to the wall 10 of the car, said back wall beingextended as indicated at 19 to accommodate the securing rivet. As most clearly shown in Figure 1, Vthe housing section 13 -is provided with a vertical end wall 2G at the righthand end thereof in which a bearing member 2lis formed. The

bearing member is in the form of an outwardlyk projecting boss, which is closed at the outerv end. The wall 17 of the housing section 13 is provided with a reinforced bearing opening 22 in alinement with the bearing 2l. The opening 22 is preferably of larger diameter than the opening of the bearing 21. The section 12 of the housing is provided with an outer side wall mem-y ber 23 having the central portion thereof dished v outwardly, as indicated at 24, and provided with a central projection 25 having a spring seat or pocket 26 therein. The projection 25 is open at the outer end to accommodate the inner end of the clutch actuating lever G. The projection 25 is divided into two parts by a transverse web or partition wall 27, which has an opening cen'- trally therethrough, the opening being continuous through a sleeve-like boss 28 projecting inwardly from said partition and disposed within the pocket 26. The front and rear walls of the housing section 12 are thickened at their bottom ends, as clearly shown in Figure 2, said thickened portions being provided with alined bearing'openings 29 and 30. The bearing opening 29, which is in the rear wall of the housing section 12, is of larger diameter than the bearing opening 30, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

The brake mechanism comprises a chainwindingdrum A; a worm wheel B; a worm C; and an operating hand wheel D. My improved clutch means, as illustrated in Figures 1 and2, comprises broadly clutch members E and F; a clutch actuating lever G; and a clutch spring The chain vwinding drum is rotatably vsupported .within the housing section 13 and is supported on a shaft 31 tc which it is keyed. The shaft 31 has a cylindrical portion of uni,- form diameter which extends through the drum A and is'journaled in the bearing member 21 of the housing section 13. The lefthand portion or the shaft 31.y immediately adjacent the ldrum A is enlarged in diameter, as indicated at 32,

said enlarged portion being journaled in the bearing opening 22 of the wall 17 of the housing section 13. To the left of the wall 1'?, as shown in Figure 1, the-shaft 31 is provided with a disc member formed integral therewith, which disc forms the clutch member `F of the clutch means. Outwardly of the disc member F, the shaft 31 is provided with a cylindrical portion 33 of smaller, diameter than the portion 32 which serves as afjournal member for the worm wheel B. The worm wheel B is rotatably supported on the section 33V of the shaft 31 andA has a plurality of openings 34V therethrough, which openings are preferably of circular section. As most clearly shown in Figure 2, the worm wheel is provided with two such openings. The disc F is provided with a plurality of openings 35 therethrough, which are on Athe same circle as the openings 34. and are preferablyeight in number, rarranged in diametrically opposite pairs so as to aline with the openings 34. As most clearly illustrated in Figure 1, the openings 35 flare outwardly slightly' so as to facilitate engagement of the clutch elements. therewithin. Y

The clutch member E isrotatable about the axis of the shaft 3l and has a pair of relativelyV heavy diametrically disposed arms, each provided with-a clutch linger 36. -The clutch ngers 36 extend through the openings 34 of the worm wheel B and are reciprocable in said ably fit the openings Se, and are of such a length that when the clutch member E is in its extreme righthand position, as shown in Figure 1, the ngers project entirely through the worm.

wheel and engage withinthe openings 35 of the disc F, thereby connecting the worm wheel B and the disc F in driving relation.

The clutch spring H is disposed within the pocket 26 of the projection 25 of the housing section 12 and has its opposite ends bearing on the partition wall 27 and the outer side of the clutch member E, respectively. The spring H surrounds the boss 28 and is thus held in proper position, the boss acting as a stop inember to llimit compression of the spring by limiting movement. of the clutch member E to the left, as viewed in Figure 1.

'Ihe clutch actuating lever Gr has the inner end thereof provided with a cam head 37 which bears on the wall 27 of the projection 25. The inner end' of the lever Gis pivotally-connected to the outer end of a reciprocating bar or rod 39 by means of a pin 38, which is slidable in slots in the side walls of the projection 25, the reciprocating bar or rod 39 being slidably mounted in the boss 28 and extending through the Vopening of the partition wall 2'7.v The bar 39 is headed at the inner end, as indicated at 40,

said head being disposed within a pocket 4l provided in the clutch member E. As will be evident, the lever is thus anchored to the clutch member E by means of the rod 39 so that when the lever is pulled outwardly or to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, the action of the cam head 37 thereof will pull the clutch member E outwardly against the tension of the spring II, thereby disengaging Vthe clutch fingersB-d from the disc F.

The worm C is rotatably supported in the bottom portion of the housing section 12 and has enlarged bearing member. of cylindrical form 42 formed at the inner end thereof, which is iournaled in the opening 29 of the rear wall of said housing section. At the forward or outer end, the worm is provided with an integral shaft portion 43, which is journaled inthe opening 30 of the front wall of said housing section.

The shaft portion/i3 extends outwardly of the housing andhas the hand wheel D secured thereto, the hub of the hand wheel being preferably provided with an opening of angular cross section and tapered form within which the Asimilarly formed outer end of the shaft section Li3 is engaged. The hand wheelV is preferably locked to the shaft by the usual retaining nut at the outer end thereof.

In order to take care of the end thrust on the shaft 3l, a wear plate or shim 47 is preferably disposed within the boss 21 and interposed-between the outer wall of the same and the inner end of the shaft 3l.

In order to retain the worm C in operative assembled relation, the same is` provided'with a collar i8 formed integral therewith and disposed inwardly of theouter wall of the housing section 12, a spacing washer or shim i9 of proper thickness being interposed between said 'wall and the collar to receive the end thrust thereon.

The operation of my improved clutch means in connection with the hand brake illustrated is as follows: In tightening the brakes, the hand wheel D is rotated in a clockwise direction, as

viewed in Figure 1, thereby effecting rotation of the worm C in the same direction. Due to meshing of the worm with the worm wheel, the latter will be rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, thus effecting rotation of the shaft 3l in a similar direction and winding of the chain on the chain winding drum A, the clutch element E being at this time held in clutching engagement with the clutch member F by the clutch spring H.

To effect quick release of the brakes, the cam lever G is pulled outwardly or to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, thereby pulling the clutch member E to the left also, against the tension of the spring II andy disengaging the clutch fingers orarms 35 from the clutch member F, thus permitting free rotation of the latter with respect to the worm wheel and worm element. The clutch means when disconnected permits free running of the chain winding drum and complete reiease of the brakes without imparting rotation to the operating hand wheel.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider theY preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto. f

I claim:

1. In a clutch mechanism, the combination witha rotary driven shaft; of a clutch disc fixed to said shaft and having a plurality of sockets thereinjV a driving member freely rotatable on one end of said shaft; a reciprocable'shaft coaxial with said driven shaft, said last named shaft a headed inner end normally spaced from the end of the first named shaft; a sliding clutch memberrotatable on said reciprocable shaft, said clutch member having an interior annular shoulder having Yengagement with the headed end ofI said reciprocable shaft, whereby sair member may be pulled away from the driving member together with said shaft, said clutch member having fixed arms reciprocably mounted in said driving member and rotatable therewith, said arms engaging within said sockets to operatively connect the driving member and clutch disc; and lever means for actuating said 'reciprocable shaft to disengage said arms from said disc.

2*.In a clutch mechanism, the combination with arota'ry shaft; of a clutch member Vfixed tolos said shaft; driving means including a second' clutch member rotatably supported on one end of Y said shaft, said members having openings therethrough adapted to be brought into alignment; a reciprocating clutch member having a plurality of arms slidable in the openings of one ies-f member and having the head engaged with thef shoulder for actuating said reciprocating clutchA member inone direction to disengage the arms-f thereof from the openings of one of said first named clutch members; and spring means surrounding said reciprocable-shaft and bearing on said reciprocating clutch member to yieldingly v hold the arms thereof engaged with the clutchl member which is fixed to the rotary shaft.

` STACY B. HASELTINE. 

